


Trick or Treat

by DPPatricks



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Halloween, Humor, M/M, Sexual Humor, spookiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 19:30:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21258476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DPPatricks/pseuds/DPPatricks
Summary: Hutch has been away for a few days and has no idea what his partner might have planned as a homecoming on this Halloween night.





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted on the S&H 911 live journal site on October 10, 2015. It was my response to Provencepuss' seasonal challenge and has been slightly edited for this cross-posting.

Ken Hutchinson walked up the stairs to Starsky's apartment with only slight trepidation. It was seven o’clock on Halloween, a Saturday night. He had no idea what his partner, David Starsky, might have planned in the way of a celebration. Starsky was always so keen on ‘holidays,’ Hutch knew it could be just about anything. Especially since neither of them had to be back at work until Monday.

Hutch had been out of town for three days, at an international law enforcement cooperation conference in Sacramento. Going to the thing hadn’t been his idea. In fact he’d tried repeatedly to decline. Captain Dobey had pointed out though, that since his partner was home with the flu, and he refused to be partnered with anyone else, he was the logical one to go. The mayor and police chief had been adamant that the BCPD be represented. Hutch really was given no choice.

He had talked to Starsky every day, during any break in the tedium, and had been assured that his partner was taking care of himself, getting lots of sleep, eating only healthy food and just waiting for Hutch to get back. He had in fact told Hutch, just before he got on the plane that evening, that he felt great and couldn’t wait to see him.

“Oh, and Hutch,” Starsky had said as they were getting ready to disconnect, “this is our first All Hallows Eve together and my first one since Gunther’s goons failed. I’ve got a little something planned for tonight, so sleep on the plane, okay?”

Before Hutch could ask “What good’s an hour’s sleep going to do me?” Starsky had hung up. His flight was already boarding so he couldn’t do anything except think about what kind of craziness his best friend might have concocted. Still, he’d managed to doze off and rack up the requested sixty minutes’ worth of zzzs.

When he got to the top of the stairs he found his partner’s first Halloween treat. Sitting on the floor outside his door was a large, carved pumpkin. The ‘face’ was smiling, one eye almost closed in a wink. Both features were lit from inside by a large candle. Hutch leaned over and picked up the note that was sticking out of the ‘lid.’

‘Welcome home, babe,’ it read. ‘The kidlings have all been and gone and we are flat out of candy! Not to worry though, as Other Good Things abound within. Just follow The Candy Corn Trail. Please don’t take any detours or short cuts, since you’ll miss some stuff if you do. See you at the end of the path. Yours, always. S.”

Hutch couldn’t help but smile. He’s been away only three days but they had been three very long, seemingly interminable days.

The door was unlocked and he pushed it open, hesitantly. It was conceivable that Starsky had rigged some sort of booby trap but that turned out not to be the case. The apartment was softly lighted by a dozen candles scattered all around, the areas of light and shadow gently shifting with the air coming in the open doorway.

Hutch closed and locked the door, dropping his carryon and garment bag on the closest chair. Just inside the arc of the door’s swing, he saw the beginning of the candy trail. The small white-tipped yellow and orange confections created an allure he had no intention of resisting. Mindful of the note, he began to follow it, careful not to step on any of the pieces.

The candy led around behind the couch, where he found the first item waiting for him. It appeared to be a small pumpkin. A tad wary, Hutch bent and picked it up. It was made of some sort of thin metal, probably tin, and had a crank handle on the side. Smothering his smile, Hutch dutifully turned the crank. After several revolutions, the lid flew open and a witch sprang up and out, clad in traditional black robe and pointed hat, riding a broom. As she danced on the end of the spring, maniacal laughter issued from inside the pumpkin. When it sounded as if it wasn’t going to end any time soon, Hutch shoved the witch and her broom back inside the cramped space and closed the lid firmly. Thankfully, the cackling stopped. Hutch put the item carefully on the back of the sofa. “Cool intro, Starsk,” he said to the empty room.

The trail of candy corn led around the end table, where Hutch encountered a large bowl of popcorn balls. He picked it up and read the note taped to the edge of the bowl. ‘These are for later. Don’t want to get our fingers all sticky… Yet.’ Hutch managed to keep his anticipatory chuckle inside as he put the bowl on the end table.

Moving along the line of sweets, the flickering light hid a black thread stretched at mid-calf height. Hutch’s right leg broke the strand and a large, hairy black spider dropped down from the ceiling directly in front of him. Involuntarily, he stepped back, catching his breath sharply. Spiders didn’t necessarily frighten him, but having a huge one almost drop on his head nevertheless made his heart pick up the pace a bit.

Another note was pinned to the black fabric belly of the insect. ‘Come into my parlor…’ Hutch read. He ducked around the dangling stuffed arachnid and continued his pursuit of the yellow/orange candy.

The path led to the coffee table where a package, wrapped in orange foil paper and tied with black ribbon, awaited him. He opened it carefully, keeping the wrappings intact. Inside the box was a sky blue long sleeved crew neck sweater. He put the box down and raised the beautiful garment to his face. It was unbelievably soft and it smelled, or he imagined it did, of heather and sunny hillsides, of pleasure and peace. _How do you do this to me, Starsk?_ he wondered, falling in love all over again. The small card sticking out of the neck read: ‘It matches your eyes.’

Carefully, Hutch folded the sweater and put it back in the box, leaving them on the coffee table.

Following the continuing candy path, his legs broke another thread and, from high on the wall to his right, a ghostly object glided down across his path. Again, he took an unintentional step back as the form passed in front of him, to fetch up in a chair on the opposite side of the room. Hutch walked over and picked it up. What felt like a soccer ball had been covered with an old white sheet, which had been secured at the ‘neck’ by a shoelace. The rest of the fabric was left to float freely. The top of the ‘head’ had been sewed to a swivel snap which had been secured to a piece of clothesline. When he’d broken the trip wire, Casper had been loosed to make his descent. _Nicely done, partner,_ Hutch silently congratulated his best friend.

Backtracking to where he’d left the candy trail, Hutch made his careful way to the dining table. At his usual place, a pile of the candy corn held the corner of an envelope upright. Hutch picked it up and read the outside. ‘To Thee’ was hand printed, ‘From Me.’ Smiling wider than ever, Hutch opened the flap and extracted a 3x5 card. ‘This entitles the bearer to dinner at Chez Nous, Casa Sereno, or Villa Capri. Provided the bearer is in the company of Yours Truly.’

“Nobody else, partner,” Hutch murmured. “Only you.” He put the card back in the envelope and the envelope back on top of the mound of candy. Looking back down at the floor, he picked up the trail again. Halfway to the bedroom, it veered toward the bathroom. It led under the door and into the facility. He pushed the partially open door wider. A paper cup of water landed on his head. He gasped and sputtered but it hadn’t been full. Starsky obviously hadn’t wanted to drench him. Another lighted candle sat on the counter next to a fluffy orange towel. ‘Sorry about that, but it _is_ Trick or Treat Night, after all,’ read the card on top of the towel. Hutch dried his hair with the soft fluffiness and blew out the candle.

Outside the bathroom, he picked up the trail again, this time leading straight to the bedroom. Getting close to it, however, Hutch realized the opening was crisscrossed with so many strands of crepe paper, orange and black again, he couldn’t see into the room. The doorway was completely blocked. He noticed soft light dancing through the strands, though, so he knew the door was open inside the ‘barricade.’ Studying the obstruction carefully, Hutch realized the strands had been stretched across a frame that fit into the jamb. Starsky had obviously made the barrier up ahead of time and put it in place only after he’d lighted all the candles in the apartment and placed all his tricks and treats. _Good planning, buddy,_ Hutch said to himself, nodding in appreciation of Starsky’s carefully thought out scenario.

Deciding on the direct approach, Hutch punched his way through the flimsy divider, shouldering and kicking the lengths of paper aside.

Starsky must have bought out a candle shop, Hutch thought, as he looked around. At least a dozen were scattered on every available flat surface, simultaneously giving light and shadows to the room.

Everything was in its usual place, there were no visible traps or obstacles. But the object on the bed stopped him in his tracks. It was a scarecrow. A naked scarecrow. Its coveralls and plaid shirt had been removed and folded neatly on the foot of the bed. Its straw hat sat askew on its straw head. Its huge button eyes were staring directly at Hutch. It’s mouth was an even larger button, giving the appearance of a perfect, ‘Oh,’ of surprise. Its unclothed straw limbs were spread, provocatively away from its straw body.

A flicker of candlelight on something bright orange drew Hutch’s gaze to the crotch area. There, a huge carrot stood erect, pointing toward the ceiling.

Hutch laughed out loud as a pair of hands dropped over his eyes.

“Trick or treat,” a soft, sexy voice whispered in his ear.

Hutch raised his hands to the ones covering his eyes, and gently pulled them down until he could kiss the palms. He drew one of the fingers into his mouth and sucked lightly. He added a second finger and increased his tongue action.

Starsky began breathing heavily behind his shoulder then suddenly pulled his hands away from Hutch’s ministrations and slipped them around his waist. Starsky laid the side of his face against Hutch’s back. “Betcha I know what you were thinkin’ when you saw that carrot.”

“Bet you don’t.” Hutch stroked the arms around him.

“You were thinkin’ about sittin’ on it,” Starsky guessed. “Weren’t you?”

“No.” Hutch’s voice was soft, but firm. He turned within his lover’s embrace, his arms sliding around Starsky’s muscled body.

Starsky was looking at him, definite surprise in the indigo eyes. “No?”

“No.” Hutch kissed the startled mouth. “I was thinking about sitting on _you._”

Starsky opened his mouth, closed it. “Oh,” he managed to say, finally.

“This _is_ Trick or Treat Night, Starsk,” Hutch pointed out, a gleam in his eyes and voice. “We’ve never done it like that, and something about seeing that carrot makes me want to try it.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Hutch repeated. “And what may I ask,” he continued in a normal voice, “are you doing with so many clothes on?”

“Oh, well… I… didn’t know if you’d be hungry.” Starsky sounded a little flustered. “Maybe wanna go out to eat.”

“Starsk,” Hutch said, softly. “I’ve been away for three whole days. You went to all this trouble to welcome me home with tricks and treats and you seriously thought I’d want to go out to eat?”

Starsky shrugged, self-consciously.

“I’m going to eat _you_.” Hutch made sure his voice promised treats with a capital T. “Then, when you’re fully primed, I want you to put your carrot inside me and help me make this an October thirty-first to remember.”

“It already is, Hutch,” Starsky said, blushing furiously.

“I know.” Hutch kissed his life partner. “Happy Halloween, my love.”

END


End file.
